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正确答案：
(ii) Effective delegation can be achieved by assigning agreed tasks to the subordinate, ensuring that resources are allocated and by specifying expected performance levels and ensuring that they are understood. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the subordinate has the ability and experience to undertake the tasks by maintaining frequent contact and ensuring that the subordinate has authority to do the job. Sufficient authority must be delegated to fulfil the task. This authority in turn may be specific or general; the scenario suggests that the authority of the managers and supervisors is specific. The subordinate should not refer decisions upwards, and the superior should not expect this. In addition there should be no doubts over boundaries; they must be clearly defined as to who holds what authority and who accounts to whom. Therefore there must be clarity as to departmental functions and individual authority, which is at the root of the problem at Flavours Fine Foods.

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(b) Controlling variable costs
The first step in the process of controlling costs is to measure actual costs. The second step is to calculate variances that show
the difference between actual costs and budgeted or standard costs. These variances then need to be reported to those
managers who have responsibility for them. These managers can then decide whether action needs to be taken to bring actual
costs back into line with budgeted or standard costs. The operating statement therefore has a role to play in reporting
information to management in a way that assists in the decision-making process.
The operating statement quantifies the effect of the volume difference between budgeted and actual sales so that the actual
cost of the actual output can be compared with the standard (or budgeted) cost of the actual output. The statement clearly
differentiates between adverse and favourable variances so that managers can identify areas where there is a significant
difference between actual results and planned performance. This supports management by exception, since managers can
focus their efforts on these significant areas in order to obtain the most impact in terms of getting actual operations back in
line with planned activity.
In control terms, variable costs can be affected in the short term and so an operating statement for the last month showing
variable cost variances will highlight those areas where management action may be effective. In the short term, for example,
managers may be able to improve labour efficiency through training, or through reducing or eliminating staff actions which
do not assist the production process. In this way the adverse direct labour efficiency variance of ￡252, which is 7·3% of the
standard direct labour cost of the actual output, could be reduced.
Controlling fixed production overhead costs
In the short term, it is unlikely that fixed production overhead costs can be controlled. An operating statement from last month
showing fixed production overhead variances may not therefore assist in controlling fixed costs. Managers will not be able to
take any action to correct the adverse fixed production overhead expenditure variance, for example, which may in fact simply
show the need for improvement in the area of budget planning. Investigation of the component parts of fixed production
overhead will show, however, whether any of these are controllable. In general, this is not the case2.
Absorption costing gives rise to a fixed production overhead volume variance, which shows the effect of actual production
being different from planned production. Since fixed production overheads are a sunk cost, the volume variance shows little
more than that the standard hours for actual production were different from budgeted standard hours3. Similarly, the fixed
production overhead efficiency variance offers little more in information terms than the direct labour efficiency variance. While
fixed production overhead variances assist in reconciling budgeted profit with actual profit, therefore, their reporting in an
operating statement is unlikely to assist in controlling fixed costs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

正确答案：
(b) It is important to appreciate that the finance request should cover not only the cost of the construction of the new facility, but
also costs in order to get the business unit up and running, and enough cash to meet initial working capital requirements.
Mulligan Co may have sufficient cash to cover such additional expenses, but the bank will want comfort that this is the case.
Enquiries would include the following:
Who has prepared the forecast? It is important to evaluate the experience and competence of the preparer. If management
has previously prepared forecasts and capital expenditure budgets that were reliable and accurate, this adds a measure of
confidence in the preparation of the new forecast and the underlying assumptions used.
To what extent is internal finance available to cover any shortfall in the finance requirement? If there is surplus cash within
the organisation then the bank need not provide the full amount of finance necessary to start up the new business operation.
Has the cost of finance been included in the forecast? It appears that this cost is missing. Finance costs should be calculated
based on the anticipated interest rate to be applied to the loan advanced, and included in the total finance requirement.
What is the forecast operating cycle of the new business unit? In particular how long is the work in progress period, and how
much credit will be extended to customers? i.e. when will cash inflows specific to the new business unit be received? More
finance might be required to fund initial working capital shortfalls during the period when work in progress is occurring, and
before cash receipts from customers are received.
Will further raw materials be required? A request has been made for $250,000 for raw materials of timber. Other materials
may need to be purchased, for example, non-timber raw materials, and inventory of other consumables such as nuts and
bolts.
How long will the ‘initial’ inventory of raw material last? What is the planned work in progress time for the new product? More
finance may be needed to avoid a stock out of raw materials.
Construction of the new factory – is there any documentation to support the capital expenditure? For example, architect’s
plans, surveyor’s reports. This will support the accuracy of the finance requested and is an important source of evidence given
the materiality of the premises to the total amount of finance requested.
How likely is it that costs may be subject to inflation before actually being incurred? This could increase the amount of finance
required by several percentage points.
Have quotes been obtained for the new machinery to be purchased?
Purchase of new machinery – will any specific installation costs be incurred? These costs can be significant for large pieces
of capital equipment. Also, enquiries should be made regarding any delivery costs.
The budget does not appear to contain any finance request for overheads such as use of electricity during the construction
period, and hire of installation equipment. Have these overheads been included in the construction cost estimate?
Will staff need to be trained in using the new machinery? If so, any incremental costs should be included in the finance
request.
Advertising and marketing of new product – enquire of Patrick Tiler the methods that will be used to market the new product.
Some types of advertising are more of a cash drain due to their high expense e.g. television advertising is expensive and ‘up
front’ compared to magazine advertising, which is cheap and spread out. As Patrick Tiler is new to Mulligan Co, his forecast
is not based on past experience of this particular business.
LCT Bank will also consider the recoverability of the amount advanced by looking at the cash generating potential of the new
business unit. Enquiries should therefore be made regarding the likely success of the new products, for example:
– Has any market research been carried out to support the commercial viability of the new products?
– Have any contracts with retailers to carry the new products been negotiated?
– How quickly have past products generated a cash inflow?
– Is there a contingency plan in place in case the new products fail to be successful?

正确答案：
(d) Job rotation is an important training method and is often also seen as a means of motivation. It involves moving the trainee from one job to another and is therefore more suitable for lower level employees. The trainee is required to do different jobs in logical succession, thus broadening experience and gaining a picture of the organisation’s wider activities.